This invention relates to adding designs to fabric, and more specifically, to creating a fabric design that appears to float in the face of a piece of fabric.
It is well known to put designs and ornamentation on materials or fabrics used for garments. Many different techniques are used to create designs on fabrics including printing, and appliquxc3xa9s. When a design is printed on a piece of fabric, it is a long and expensive process, not suited for small pieces of material. This process also hampers an artist or designers ability to create unique pieces. Additionally, a printed design does not allow a designer to mix different types of materials to create a design. In an effort to mix various materials, appliquxc3xa9s have been used. Appliquxc3xa9s are sewn onto the face of a piece of fabric or glued in place on the face of a piece of fabric. Appliquxc3xa9s or patches applied to the face of the fabric tend to curl at the edges. In the case of a garment, during normal wear, appliquxc3xa9s are easily damaged.
One attempt to create a design that appears to float in the face of a piece of fabric is shown in FIG. 11. A pattern is cut in the face of a piece of fabric 100. The edges of the pattern are folded under and a second piece of fabric 102 is then placed on the reverse side of the first piece of fabric. The second piece of fabric 102 is then top stitched in place. This gives the overall design a seamless appearance. This method, while creating a design that appears to float in the face of the fabric, is difficult to sew due to the flexibility of the folded under seam. The folded under seam is loose and difficult to keep in place prior to attaching the second piece of fabric 102. What is needed is an easy and inexpensive method to create a unique design that appears to float in the face of a piece of fabric.
The present invention overcomes these problems by providing an improved method for creating a design that appears to float in the face of a piece of material. The present invention provides a creative tool for transitioning from one piece of fabric to a second piece of fabric and preventing both pieces of fabric from unraveling. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a piece of fusible material is placed on top of a first piece of material. The fusible material is coated with an adhesive on the side opposite the first piece of material, the face side of the fusible material. The non-coated side of the fusible material is in contact with the first piece of material. The fusible material is sewn to the first piece of material. The stitches define the periphery of an unbroken design. In one embodiment of the invention, the design is at the edge of the first piece of material. The fusible material is trimmed outside the periphery of the unbroken design. Next, the fusible material and the fabric are trimmed inside the periphery of the unbroken design to create an aperture. The fusible material is pulled through the aperture so that the adhesive is substantially interposed between fusible material and the reverse side of the first piece of material. The fusible material is then fused to the reverse side of the first piece of material. A second piece of material is placed on the reverse side of the piece of material to cover the aperture. Finally, the second piece of material is sewn to the first piece of material, thereby creating a design that appears to float in the first piece of fabric.